First, I reiterate, Team Trump needed to present a non-gaffe prone, presidential candidate well-versed on the issues in the first debate. Mission Accomplished. In the next debate, more has to be done on the issues and a better style has to be presented while preserving the best of the first debate.

Before the next debate on October 9th, Mr. Trump needs to comprehensively prepare. He has to show respect for his supporters by doing his best and a desire to be president by enduring the arduous prep-process.

Here are a few general guidelines and ideas:

1) Mr. Trump must prepare as if this mattered. The debates are not a side show. This week should demonstrate that events drive campaigns and there are no bigger events in the life of a presidential campaign than the head-to-head debates. Big rallies will not overcome poor head-to-head performances.

Hillary will get a small bounce from Monday and Mr. Trump’s upward trajectory is blunted. Not good news. It is fixable, but just wishing will not make it so. Effort (lots of effort) will be required. The mechanics of debating needs the candidate’s full attention.

2) Mr. Trump needs to focus and study. Details of his prep work have leaked out. Those details include long conversations with generals, campaign helpers and business pals. This is not debate prep, this R&R. Debate prep is like cramming for an oral exam. If it doesn’t hurt, you aren’t doing it right.

Rallies are great and provide good optics as well as being fun for the candidate. If Mr. Trump wants to give Hillary big rallies and shrink his own, he should blow the next debate and see how his numbers shrink. He must take some time off of the trail and do the homework. It is hard but simply indispensable.

He should do it for the Deplorables who are depending on him.

3) Mr. Trump needs experts to help him prep well. Team Trump should put together a dream team!

Ted Cruz has offered to help. Why not!?! What a great three day story that would be. Trump takes steps to bring the party together; Trump enlists former rival; Trump succeeds with former National Debate Champion at his side! Wowee!

Newt has offered to help. Why not!?! The smartest cat in the room and a great communicator is glad to help him with some communications to the general electorate. How can the team pass on that!

The RNC will send anyone and everyone possible or imaginable from the public and private sectors. The party may be full of blowhards sometimes but it is replete with debating champions tried and tested on the campaign trail. Team Trump should use them and succeed.

4) Mr. Trump should not blame the media. Let the rest of us do that. The media is biased like never before – we all know that and the media actually admits it. Holt was in the tank for Hillary – we all know that. Martha Raddatz and Anderson Cooper are so far in the Hillary camp that their debate performance will make Lester Holt look like a Team Trump member.

Get over it.

It cannot be changed and it will not help to whine about it. Prepare to defeat it. In fact, as a general rule, billionaires should not whine about anything. It is really hard to listen to and unnecessary. Know the problems going in, be prepared for them and the victory will be all the sweeter.

5) Last, Mr. Trump needs a memorized, two-minute spiel on twenty to thirty different issues and topics. He should be able to use them at the debate, on the stump, at rallies, in interviews and mumbling in his sleep. These are indispensable and a great tool to haul out to talk on any issue. He must have and use these – they are utterly indispensable.

Trashing Hillary next week will not win the debate. Knowing the issues, not being defensive and having ready and SHORT answers to attacks will carry the day. This cannot come to pass without homework. (Smiling a little will help too). Mr. Trump, for the sake of our country, for the well-being of all those who have put their trust in you and for the movement, please, do your homework and succeed.